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Science Experiences

Rainbow milk.png

Rainbow Milk

Submitted by Meagan Grace 

Pour milk into a small, flat dish (a pie plate works perfect). 
Squirt drops of food coloring, or just two primary colors, into the milk. 
Be sure to not mix it up! 
Just let the drops sit as they are. 
Dip a Q-tip (cotton swab) into some dish soap and play away!

Celery and Food Coloring

Make it Rain

foam shaving cream 
plastic container 
water 
food coloring 
Fill the jar almost to the top with water. Cover the top with a “cloud” of shaving cream. Drop food coloring into the cloud until the color starts “raining” into the water below. Explain that this is how rain works too. The water collects in the cloud until there is too much, and then it leaks through, forming rain. 

Pumpkin Oobleck

Materials: 
insides of a pumpkin minus the seeds 
water 
blender 
cornstarch 
Separate the seeds from the inside of the pumpkin. Place the pumpkin goo in the blender with some water. Blend. Keep adding water and blending until you get a smooth, thin consistency. Add 1/2 cup of cornstarch to an empty bowl. Take 1/2 cup of your pumpkin goo and slowly add it to the cornstarch until you have the consistency you like. Usually a 1:1 ratio of cornstarch to water {or in this case pumpkin goo} works well. Just play with amounts until you are happy.  

Submitted by Darlene Carver 

Do you like to water the plants in your home and garden? We already know that plants and flowers need water to grow and to love, but what happens after that? Find out what really occurs when you sprinkle that water with this experiment that uses food coloring to show how plants absorb water. 
You will need: 
Tall clear plastic container 
Water 
Red food coloring 
Scissors 
Celery stalk with leaves. 
Fill container half full of water. Add a few drops of red food coloring and mix well. Trim the bottom of the celery leaving the leaves on the stalk. Place the celery stalk in the container and leave overnight in order for the stalk to "drink" the water.  The next morning observe what happened. Let the children tell you where they think the water has gone and what has happened to the celery. Explain the water has been absorbed into the celery stalk, tinting the stem and leaves red. 

Apples and Handwashing

Cinnamon Elmers Glues Ornaments

Simply mix these 3 ingredients together. After it's mixed plop it down onto wax paper (or the counter) and use extra cinnamon to "flour" working area especially if dough is a little sticky. Lightly knead the dough. Roll out to 1/4"  and use Christmas cookie cutters for your shapes. 

Tornado

Plastic container 
Water 
Drop of soap 
 
Shake! 

Submitted by Tiffany Edgerton 

Place a slice of a clean apple in the container.  Pass another apple slice around the class as you come in from recess with dirty hands.  Place the containers in the science center and leave them for a few days.  Observe the differences in the two apples. 

Blubber Experiment

Use this experiment to show the children how blubber keeps the animals from feeling the cold air and water. Fill a container with ice water and get some vegetable oil. Fill two small ziploc bags with the oil and seal them. Put those bags inside another small bag and the children can put their hand inside between the two bags of oil, almost like a glove. Now put both hands, one in the oil and one by itself, into the bowl of ice water.  Their bare hand will be cold and their hand in the oil will be warm!  

Regrow Vegetable Scraps

Volcano

​This is what it looks like.  You can start with celery and scallions, which should be the most immediate results. Cut the celery off near the base and the scallions just near the green line and sit the bottoms in water. Can also add sweet potato and avocado. Both should be suspended in water using toothpicks. 

Leak-Proof Bag Experiment

Fireworks in a Cup

Dump a can of salt into a bowl. Add about as much white four as you have salt. Add 3-4 tablespoons oil. Add water, about 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is moist enough to mold and hold its shape. Add food coloring.   
No measuring for this project!  Once the dough holds itself together, let the children work the color in and play with it. Build the volcano around a plastic bottle. You will need warm water, yeast, 6% hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and food coloring to make the eruption.First, mix about 2 tablespoons warm water with 1 teaspoon yeast in a cup and set it aside. Next, pour about 1/2 cup 6% hydrogen peroxide into the volcano.  Add a big squirt of dish soap and some red food coloring.  Check your yeast to see if it is starting to grow.  If it is, quickly pour it into the volcano and enjoy the reaction

Walking Water

  • at least 3 empty cups 

  • water 

  • food coloring 

  • paper towels 

Choose the colors you want to mix.  We did red and yellow, blue and yellow, and red and blue.  Fill a jar for each color and add food coloring.  You will need an additional empty glass of the same size for each pair of colors.Cut a paper towel in half and then fold it into quarters lengthwise. Stick one end of the paper towel into the colored water and one end into the empty jar.Thanks to capillary action the water moves or “walks” up the paper towels into the empty jar. The middle jar fills up with water until the water levels of all the jars are equal. When you start with primary colored water in the jars it also turns into a cool coloring mixing lesson.

Catch a Spider Web

  • Plastic Zip Lock Bags 

  • Sharp Pencils 

  • Water 

Simply fill and seal your plastic zip lock bags with water. (Be sure you are outside for this experiment) Have the children gently stab each pencil through the bag until it pierces both sides…and surprise, surprise, NO water leaks out!

What Melts in the Sun? 

Ice cube 
Lego 
Wooden block 
Crayon 
Rock 
Playdough 
Timer 
Muffin pan (6 slots) 
Place 1 item in each slot of the muffin tin. Make a prediction chart. Set muffin tin outside in the sun and set timer. See which items melt. Which item melts the quickest? Which items did not melt that you thought would? 

  • spider webs (we went on a Spider Web Hunt--so fun!!) 

  • NON-TOXIC spray paint 

  • paper 

Spray the spider web with the non-toxic spray paint, with the can about 6-8 inches away from the web. Place your paper under the spider web and lift it up into the web.  The web will stick to the paper and you can discuss the spider's work in detail! When you're done looking at and touching it, you can save it, frame it, or recycle it!  
A Few Fun Facts About Spider Webs: 
1- Different species of spiders build different styles of webs.  Some are symmetrical; some are not! 
2- Some strands on the web are not sticky--the spider walks on these. 
3- Spider silk is made by spinneret glands in the spider's abdomen. 
4- Spider silk is stronger than the same weight of steel! 
5- Many spiders eat their web each day to make sure they have enough protein to build another web for the next day! 

Hopping Corn

What Absorbs Water and What Doesn't

sponge 
styrofoam tray 
napkin 
wax paper 
sock 
zip lock bag 
paper towel 
saran wrap 
construction paper 
aluminum foil  
cotton balls  
bowl of colored water  
eye dropper 
Make a prediction chart. Which will absorb the water? Which will not? Lay materials out on table. Add droplets of water to each item. Which items absorbed the water? How quickly did it absorb? Which items did not absorb the water? 

Magnet Painting

  • a clear container 

  • popping corn 

  • 2 1/2 – 3 cups of water 

  • 2 Tbsp. of baking soda 

  • 6 Tbsp. of white vinegar 

  • food coloring (optional) 

  1.  Fill your jar with water and add a couple drops of food coloring. 

  1.  Add your baking soda and stir well until it is all dissolved. 

  1.  Add a small handful of popping corn kernels. 

  1.  Add the vinegar and watch the corn start to hop up and down! 

Freezing Powers 

Watch Youtube link below to see how experiment should be done. 
https://youtu.be/zVAL5I-WtAQ 

How many paperclips can fit in a full glass of water?

  • Magnetic Wand {affiliate} 

  • Various metal items (be sure they are not chocking hazards) 

  • Various non-metal items  

  • Paper 

  • Plastic tray or box (I used an old 9″ x 13″ food container) 

  • Tempera paint 

  • Cups or palette to dip the metal pieces in 

  • Spoons to get the painted covered pieces into the tray  

  • To begin painting, pour your paint into something deep enough to drop your metal pieces into.   I have this awesome cup palette {affiliate} but an egg carton works well too.  Then cut your paper to fit your tray and place a piece inside. Now it’s time to paint!  Dip a metal piece in paint and drop it into the tray.  Then take the magnet wand and move it around under the plastic tray as this keeps the metal pieces rolling smoothly.One of the best parts of this project is that kids can learn a little science while painting.  You can use all metal pieces or you can throw in some things that the magnet can’t move.  Even the all the metal pieces moved differentl

Clear Container 
Water 
Dropper 
Lots of Paper Clips 
 
 

  1. Fill your cup of water as high as you can without it spilling. 

  1. Then use a dropper to add the last few drops, so it’s as full as you can possibly get it.  

  1. Have your child estimate how many paperclips he or she thinks will fit into the glass before the water overflows. 

  1. Begin dropping the paperclips in one at a time. Older kids may want to keep track of how many they’ve dropped in as they go along. You could arrange your paperclips in piles of tens to keep track easily. 

  1. Keep going until the water finally overflowsQuestion to Spark More Curiosity & Critical ThinkingHow close were you to your estimate? Why do you think so many paperclips were able to fit in the glass? 
     
    Here were some comments I caught Lucy making during the experiment: “Why is it not spilling?” ” I think it’s because they’re so tiny.” ” Look how much paperclips are in it!” ” Why don’t the paperclips float?” ~So much thinking going on! 
     
    What’s Going On?Drops of water stick to each other. That’s why the surface of the water bulged and formed a dome when you added the paper clips, which kept the water from spilling out. This is called surface tension. Once too many paperclips were added to the cup, the surface tension was broken, allowing the water to spill over.

Cornstarch Suspension 

Submitted by Tammy Knight from South Walker HS 
 
water 
cornstarch 
large bowl 
mixing spoon 
paper towels to dry hands 
 
In their play, children encounter objects with many different textures: hard and soft, smooth and rough, fuzzy, bumpy... They also experience the difference between solids and liquids, and may even recognize that air is a gas you can breathe. This lesson demonstrates a special kind of substance, called a suspension, that is similar to liquids in some ways but similar to solids in others. It offers you many opportunities to talk about different textures with children. Measure one cup of cornstarch into a large bowl. Allow children to touch the cornstarch with their fingers. (Cornstarch is non-toxic, but don't let children eat it.) Ask them to describe it: the color, texture, and anything similar from their lives (flour, snow, etc.). In a large measuring cup, measure 1/2 cup water. Again, allow children to touch the water and talk about it. Slowly stir the water into the large bowl with cornstarch. (Aim for a mixture like thick pancake mix.) Ask children how they think it will feel. Will it be more like cornstarch or like water? Does it remind them of anything? Have children stick their hands into the mixture and move them slowly back and forth. Ask them how it feels. (The mixture feels like a liquid.) Next, ask children to pick up some of the mixture and squeeze it. Now how does it feel? (When squeezed, it feels like a solid.) 
 
Modifications and Extensions: (1) Add a bit of food coloring to the water before mixing it into the cornstarch. Ask children to predict what color the result will be if you use 2 drops of red and 2 drops of blue (or another combination of colors). (2) Try different ratios of cornstarch to water. What if you use one cup water and one cup cornstarch? What if you use 1/4 cup water to one cup cornstarch? Ask children to predict what they think the mixture will feel like: what would happen if... Use words like "dry", "wet", "thick", and "thin", or make comparisons: will it feel like sand? like clay? like milk? (3) Try the same experiment with one cup of another non-toxic white powder in the kitchen – salt, flour, or sugar – instead of cornstarch. Again, ask them what they think will happen. Let children feel the result. Does it behave like the cornstarch mixture? 

Eye Dropper Dot Counting 

Dropper 
Paper with circles of different sizes drawn on it 
Cups filled with different colors of water 
 
 
Have children guess as they drop water in each circle of how many drops it will take to fill it, count with children as they drop the water. Let them guess what would happen if you mixed colors and see how many colors they can come up with. Talk about the different sizes of circles and did it take more or less to fill up the small circles and so on. 

Show Box Maze Experiment 

Shoe box 
Tape 
Extra Cardboard 
Scissors 
Small potted plant (bean plant) 
 
 
 
Cut a large hole at one end of the shoe box. Hold the box up to the light and be sure to tape up any other spaces where light shines through. Cut two pieces of cardboard in the following sizes: First make both pieces half the width of the shoe box. Then make both pieces the same height of the shoe box.  
Now divide the box in thirds and tape one cut cardboard piece on the left side of the box at the one-third mark. Next, tape the other cardboard piece on the right side of the box at the two-thirds mark. Place the small potted plant in the shoe box opposite the hole, make sure that it is well watered. (We started a bean in a plastic cup.) Close the box, tape it, and place it in a sunny window. In about 4 or 5 days open the box and notice how the plant  
grows in the direction of the light coming from the hole!!!

Easy Static Electricity Science 

Sink or Float Science 

​Large container filled with water 
Let children choose items from around the classroom  
 
Have child choose one object at a time. Do you think it will sink or float? Why?  Have child place the object in the water and observe what happens. (Optional: Record the result on the recording sheet. You can have child draw a picture or write the name of the object or model writing and drawing the object yourself.) Repeat this for all the objects. Why do you think some objects floated and some sank? Is there anything the same about the objects that floated? How about with the objects that sank?  

Rainbow Jar 

  • A tall, see-through container  

  • Honey 

  • Light corn syrup 

  • Dish soap {either blue like Dawn or green like Palmolive} 

  • Olive oil, 

  • Rubbing alcohol 

  • Water 

  • Food coloring 

  • A dropper 

 
First pour in the honey.  Be sure to pour it into the middle of your container — don’t let it touch the sides. 
 
Next pour in the corn syrup, can color it purple. Again, pour it into the middle of the container, not touching the sides. 
 
Then add the dish soap.  
 
Pour in regular water, can color blue. {If you’re using blue dish soap, obviously color your water something different. Again, in the middle, in the middle!} 
 
The olive oil goes in next. Do you know what I’m going to say? That’s right, pour it in the middle. Also, I recommend pouring a fairly thick layer of oil — it will come in handy for the next step.  Last but not least is the rubbing alcohol. You can color it red— that in itself is a cool peek at different densities because the food coloring just sits at the bottom of the alcohol when you first drop it in. BUT WAIT! DON’T POUR IT IN THE MIDDLE!   This is where the dropper comes in.  If you pour the alcohol straight in, it’ll probably pick up the blue food coloring you used in the water and your rainbow will be ruined.  The best way to add it is dropping the alcohol along the side of the container using a dropper.  The key is not “breaking through” the oil layer into the blue water layer beneath it — that’s why you should put a thick layer of oil.

Kool-Aid Eruptions 

Submitted by Gwendolyn Parrot from Battlewood EHS 
 
1 tray  
2 packs of Kool-aid 
1/3 cup baking soda 
1/4 cup vinegar 
 
1. Put tray on table then pour your baking soda out evenly. 
2. Pour your kool-aid packs over the baking soda. 
3. Pour vinegar on top of kool-aid. 
4. Then watch the vinegar erupt on top. 

Salt Glue Watercolor Experiment 

  • a bottle of white glue 

  • table salt 

  • liquid watercolors or food coloring mixed with a few drops of water 

  • cardstock or construction paper or cardboard 

  • Pipettes/droppers 

  • paint pallet or ice cube tray 

  • baking dish/shallow pan/box (large enough to hold your piece of paper) 

 
Apply a generous amount of glue in thick, fluid lines, squiggles, dots and spirals, etc. Letters and names are great too. Next, place the paper in the baking pan or box, and have children sprinkle salt over their drawings. Cover the glue well, and then as an added measure, give the pan a good shake to make sure every last bit of glue is coated with salt. Remove the paper from the pan, and shake off any excess salt before returning the paper to your work surface. Using a pipette, have children drip the watercolors on to their designs, one drop at a time. This part of the process is really thrilling. It’s amazing to see how far the watercolors spread as they’re absorbed by the grains of salt. Drop by drop, your kids will transform their white, salt drawings into vibrant, colorful designs. 
*Note that these works of art are not long-lasting as the salt will crumble and comes away from the glue, even when dry.

The Snowman Experiment

1. Freeze 3 water filled balloons (preferable over night) 
You will need 1 large, 1 medium and 1 small balloon for your snowman. 
2. Peel the balloon off your frozen ice balls BEFORE children are present. 
3. Using a bit of salt to adhere them, stack your ice to form a snowman. 
4. Use felt to make the face and buttons - 
Tip: Wet the felt and add just a pinch of salt to stick them on! 
5.  Watch the snowman melt. Make predictions on how quickly it takes. 
 
Variations: 
Make two snowmen and compare results with one outdoors and one indoors. 

Pine Cone Experiment 

Bowl 
Salt 
Pepper 
Comb 
 
 
Experiment 1: 
Put some salt and pepper in a small dish. Stir it together.  Have child give a plastic comb a static charge by running it through their hair. (The book said to use wool cloth, but we don’t have anything wool…) By the way, we discovered that if one person charges the comb and then hands it to another person, it does not stay charged! The person who wants to do the experiment must also be the one who charges the comb! Hold the statically charged comb over the dish, and the comb will attract the pepper causing it to jump up out of the dish! This was really pretty amazing to watch! If you hold the comb too close, the salt will jump up too, so it might take a little practice for just the right “magic” effect!  
Experiment 2: 
Simply charge your plastic comb as you did in experiment 1. Then, hold your comb close to (but NOT TOUCHING!) a small stream of water coming from the faucet.Then, watch the water bend! It was hard to get our timing right to get a good picture of this one, but if you do it on a very dry day, you’ll get results that will amaze your kids! 
The Science Behind These Experiments: 
All matter is made up of atoms, and all atoms are made up of protons (positive charge), neutrons (no charge), and electrons (negative charge). The charges (negative and positive) are usually balanced in each atom, and so the atom is not charged. However, when you rub two things together (like a comb and hair), some electrons move from one to the other, causing one item to have a positive charge and the other to have a negative charge. They now attract each other. 
Static electricity does not build up very well on a humid day because the charged particles are likely to attach themselves to water molecules in the air.

Chromatography Science Experiment 

  • Non permanent markers  

  • White Coffee Filters 

  • Pencil 

  • Cups of water 

  • Black Pipe Cleaners 

  • String 

  • Scissors 

 
 
1. Choose one marker to experiment with first. (Hint~ black and brown are the most exciting!) 
2. Take one coffee filter. Put it on a newspaper or some kind of material to protect your table. Draw a thick circle around the center of the coffee filter where the ridged part meets the flat center. Use a pencil to write the color of the marker being used right in the center. (You’ll want to know what the original color was being  used, and the pencil won’t smear and will remain intact after the experiment.) 
3. Fold the coffee filter in half and then in half again, resulting in a cone shape. 
4. Get a short cup of water. Pull apart the cone shaped coffee filter so it balances right on the glass with the tip of the cone just touching the water. (Be sure NOT to let the marker circle go in the water, just the uncolored tip of the coffee filter cone.) 
5. Let it sit and watch what happens as the water begins to flow up the paper. 
6. Repeat with different colored markers. Here are ours starting out… 
7. After the water has reached the outer edge of the coffee filter, place it on a newspaper to dry.  Once the coffee filters are dry you can observe the results. 
Directions for Using Coffee Filters to Make the Butterfly Craft: 
1. Cut your black pipe cleaners in half. 
2. Take one coffee and scrunch it up in the middle. 
3. Wrap a black pipe cleaner around the center. 
4. Shape the ends to form antennae. 
5. Tie a string to the center and hang

Rainbow Paper

Bowl filled with water 
Clear nail polish 
Gloves for kids 
Small pieces of black paper 
 
 
Add 1-2 drops of clear nail polish to the bowl of water. Watch it disperse over the surface of the water 
Quickly dip the paper into the water. Let it dry on a paper towel. 
Once it is dry (this only takes a few minutes) tilt the paper in different directions to see the rainbow patterns appear. Hold it next to a sunny window for best results.  
NOTE: The nail polish will dry quickly on the surface of the water, which will create a film that won’t stick to the paper. To do this activity successfully you will need to do it quickly. Be sure to dip the paper into the water within 10-15 seconds after you drop the nail polish in. If the nail polish does create a dry film on top, simply scoop it off and try again more quickly 
 
How Does Rainbow Paper Work? 
When you dip the paper into the water it gets coated with a thin layer of nail polish. Light is reflected by the nail polish, creating rainbow patterns. This is basically the same thing that happens when a rainbow is naturally formed in the sky. 
Try to find each of the following colors on your rainbow paper: red. orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. White light is composed of all of these colors!

3 clear containers 
3 pinecones (all the same size) 
Warm water 
Cold water 
 
The set-up for this experiment is really quite simple. Measure, sketch and observe your pine cones, place 1 pinecone in each container. 
 
Label each container and fill the container with water to the top. Do one container with warm water and one with cold water. For your control group, leave the middle one open with only air to use as a comparison and to document the change you see over time. Change will occur immediately. You can have older children note changes with drawings. Discuss what changes you see happening. Also, notice things like the pine cone floats in the water, see if the container has any affect on the way it looks (magnified), etc. Allow about 20 minutes for the pine cones to close. Leave out over night and see what changes.

Splat! Exploring Gravity Through Art 

 Brown Butcher Paper 
Large Pom Poms 
Waterpaint 
Small Bowls 
Step Stool 
 
Lay big sheet of butcher paper in grass. Use some heavier objects to hold down the edges of the paper. Dilute the watercolors with water. Place pompoms on the butcher paper. Allow children to dip pom poms in water paint and drop onto the butcher paper.  Allow children to take turns dropping pom poms from standing on the step stool (be sure to supervise closely) Ask children what they are noticing happening. Ask them which splats are bigger and why. Great way to discuss gravity and how it works. When finished hang on fence to dry.

Thunderstorm Science 

  • blue ice cubes (made by adding a few drops of food coloring to the ice tray before freezing) 

  • red food coloring 

  • plastic container 

  • water 

 
 
Fill up the contain with water about half way.  Let the water sit until it is completely still.  Gently add a couple ice cubes to one side of the bin.  Add a few drops of food coloring to the other side.  Be very careful not to disturb the bin of water. It doesn't take long for the red coloring to rise and for the blue to push down to the bottom of the bin. Water is flowing from one position to another, and heat is being transferred. Convection is occurring in the container! 
What do convection currents have to do with the weather? The red water represents a warm air mass, and the blue water represents a cold air mass. A thunderstorm is caused by unstable air. A body of warm air is forced to rise by an approaching cold front forming a strong, persistent updraft of warm moist air. The approaching cold front helps build the updraft into a cumulus cloud. When the warm air rises and meets the cold air, it condenses, releasing latent heat. The heat helps fuel the thunderstorm. The view from the top of the bin is cool too, although it doesn't demonstrate the cold and warm layers formed by the convection currents.

Erupting Pumpkin 

Submitted by Jan Harmon  
Baking Soda 
Vinegar 
Cookie Sheet 
Large Pumpkin (pre-carved) 
 
Put pumpkin on cookie sheet, add about 4 tablespoon of baking soda, then add vinegar and watch the pumpkin erupt. 

Rain Cloud 

 Set up crock pot half full of water and set on high with lid on (away from kids reach of course). After water has condensed on lid show kids how the lid is like a cloud full of water droplets. Pick lid up and explain that as the water droplets form together they get too heavy to stay in the cloud and (turn lid on side) then it rains. After lid is off turn off lights and shine flashlight over crock pot so children can see the "cloud" of evaporation. 

Puff Paint 

1 cup flour 
1 cup salt 
1 tsp baking powder 
Mix together, put equal amounts into plastic containers, add a little water based paint and a little water to mix.To paint spread mixture onto paper thickly. Cook for approximately 30 secs and watch paint will puff up. 

​Food coloring 
Warm water 
Oil (vegetable, olive, peanut – any will work) 
2 Clear cups 
Fill a cup 3/4 of the way to the top with warm water. In a separate cup add a few table spoons of oil and add 4 drops of food coloring – of differing color. Using a fork, give the oil and food coloring mixture a good mix to break up the ‘color beads’ into smaller ones. Carefully pour the oil & food coloring mixture into the cup of warm water and wait for the magic to happen!

Frozen Bubbles

Go outside on any day when it’s below 32 degrees F and try this: blow a bubble and then catch it on the bubble wand.  Wait a few moments while it freezes- it will turn into a cool crystal ball before it shatters! You can also make icy crystals with your bubble solution! To do this: dip a large loop in the bubble solution – but don’t blow a bubble. Instead, watch the crystals grow. They will form a lattice structure!

How Does Sound Travel Under Water?

First ask how do you think sound traveled to our ears? "What is between us that we can't see? Air! Sound waves travel slowly through air. What we hear most of the time is sound moving through a gas. To demonstrate clink two butter knives together and listen. What would happen if we clinked the same knives under the water? Submerge the knives to make the sound again in a bucket full of water. Cut the bottom off of a large plastic water bottle. Once submerged in water use it to listen under the surface (as you can see in title photo). Take turns clinking the knives and listening. 
The result is a louder, better, and clearer sound! Sound waves travel faster through water. Discuss what animals hear underwater. You could also mention that sound also travels quickly through solids. You can put your ear to a table or wall and knock to demonstrate the vibrations of sound passing through a solid object.  

Exploding Sandwich Bag

http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z245/lauranovo/MVI_1271.mp4.html 
 
 

  • sandwich-sized ziploc bag  

  • 1/4 cup warm water 

  • 1/2 cup vinegar 

  • 1 tbsp. baking soda 

  • toilet paper 

 
(It's helpful to have two people working together on this) 
 

  1. Tear off a square or two of toilet paper and put a tablespoon of baking soda in the middle.  Twist or fold the toilet paper around the pile of baking soda making a small packet. 

  1. Next, open your sandwich bag and pour in 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup warm water. Zip the bag closed, but not all the way.  You'll want a small opening just large enough to drop in the packet of baking soda. 

  1. Move the experiment to the sink or outside!  Put the baking soda packet into the bag and then quickly zip it all the way closed.  (I found it helpful to carefully put the packet in, then hold it towards the top away from the liquid so I could zip the bag all the way closed, then let it drop in) 

  1.  Once the bag is sealed, give it a quick, gentle shake so the packet drops into the liquid and set it down. (Be sure the children are standing back away from bag)  The reaction will occur almost immediately and the bag will start to fill with carbon dioxide.  It'll get bigger and bigger until it finally POPS! 

Clean Hands  

Submitted by Tammy Knight from South Walker HS 
 
non-toxic washable markers in dark colors 
hand soap 
running water in a sink or outdoors from a hose 
paper towels 
 
This experiment demonstrates the importance of using soap as well as water to get hands really clean. Remind children that hand washing removes germs with soap and water. Demonstrate how to wash hands correctly by applying soap and rubbing hands together under running water. Using a dark washable marker, draw a smiley face or a simple germ on the back of each child's hand. Give each child a dry paper towel and see if they can remove the marker "germ" just by rubbing. Next, divide children into two groups. Give each child in the first group a squirt of non-toxic handsoap. Now have all children rub their hands under running water while you sing "Happy Birthday" (or count up to ten) together. When the song is over, turn off the water and have each child check his or her hands. 
Whose germ is completely gone? How many children who used soap still have germs (or parts of germs)? What about children who used water and no soap? If some children still have part of a germ, start the water again and sing the song (or count) a second time. Turn off the water and check again for germs. Compare to see which group of children – soap or no soap – eliminated germs first. 
Talk about the results. Is it better to use soap, or just water? Is it better to wash hands quickly, or take more time? 
 
Modifications and Extensions: (1) Allow children to draw germs on their own hands. (2) Talk with children about different kinds of cleaning. How do clothes get clean? Dishes? Pets? Toys? Hair? Are all these kinds of soap the same? (Do they look the same, smell the same, sound the same...) What would happen if they used handsoap to clean clothes, or shampoo to clean dishes?  

Crepe Paper Colors 

Crepe Paper (red, yellow, blue, or whichever colors you want. 1 of each) 
Clear plastic cups filled with water 
 
Cut out squares of red, yellow, and blue crepe paper. Set out 3 clear plastic cups filled with water. Ask the children to guess what will happen when you put a square of red crepe paper in one of the cups. Put paper in and have the children watch as the dye from the paper turns the water red. Repeat with the yellow and blue pieces. Extension: Let children experiment with their own cups of water and paper. Chart what they did. 

Rainbow Wizard's Brew 

 
Submitted by Judy Smith from Cloud Springs Pre-k 
 
 
Baking Soda 
Liquid Watercolors or Food coloring 
Glitter 
Dish soap 
Vinegar 
Clear container 
Small plastic containers 
Tray 
 
Fill the container halfway with vinegar, then add a few drops of one color of liquid watercolor/food coloring and some glitter. Squeeze in some dish soap, stir, and place the container on a tray. Now have your child add in a heaping teaspoon of baking soda, stir again, and watch the foaming begin! The soap makes it foam rather than fizz. To keep the reaction going continue adding baking soda and vinegar when the foam starts to slow. To make it change colors, add a tablespoon of vinegar mixed with one color of liquid watercolor/food coloring every so often. Make sure to dump the colored vinegar into the center of the brew. 

Homemade Sparkling Cider (this can also be used as your Nutrition Activity) 

Submitted by Leslie King from Lakeview HS 

  • 1 gallon pasteurized apple juice 

  • 1/4 teaspoon cider yeast 

 
 

  1. Pour approximately 1 cup of the apple juice into a microwave-safe dish. 

  1. Microwave for 15-30 seconds, just long enough to warm the juice. 

  1. Pour the yeast into the warmed juice and allow it to dissolve. 

  1. Pour the remaining gallon of juice into a large bowl. Add the dissolved yeast mixture and stir it to combine. 

  1. Use a funnel to transfer the juice back into its original container. 

  1. Put the lid on the juice container and seal it tightly. 

  1. Leave the bottle of juice out at room temperature to carbonate. It will carbonate best in the dark, so stick it in the pantry or throw a dark towel over it to keep it from the light. Allow it to sit for 24 hours. 

  1. After 24 hours the cider should be fully carbonated. To make sure it is fully carbonated, try to squeeze the bottle with the lid on. If the bottle is firm and does not give when you squeeze it, then it is fully carbonated. 

  1. Refrigerate the cider after it is carbonated and chill before serving. 

How does Leaves Breathe? 

Fill a large clear plastic bowl full of luke warm water and take it outside. Once outside you'll want to remove a leaf from a tree or plant and not just pick one up off the ground as we want an 'active' leaf for the project. Place the leaf in the bowl of water and put a small rock on top of it so it is FULLY submerged under the water. Then put the bowl in a sunny spot. If you have a place inside that's super sunny, you can also try keeping the bowl there.Oh yea, did I mention that now we need to wait a few hours ;) I know -- one of the hardest things for kids.  So go on with your day -- maybe set the experiment up before lunch or quiet time.   
 
What you should be seeing is small bubbles that form around the leaf and the edges of the bowl. Ask the kids what would happen if they held their breath, went underwater in the pool and then let their breath out -- they would see bubbles coming up in the water. That's what they are seeing here -- the leaf is still using the sunlight as part of the photosynthesis process (where leaves convert sunlight to energy).  As a leaf creates that energy, it needs to get rid of the items it no longer needs so it will expel both water and the oxygen during a process called transpiration. This is why we see the bubbles -- as the leaf gives off oxygen when it is submerged and the oxygen can be seen as bubbles in the water. And since oxygen is lighter than water, the bubbles will eventually raise to the surface. 
 
Now does a leaf breathe the same as we (humans) do? 
 
Nope! 
 
A leaf doesn't have any lungs or respiratory system. 
 
But it is a living organism just like we are! 
 
So there you have it -- you can tell the kids they are 'seeing the invisible' because when leaves are on the tree, you aren't able to really see them breathe ;)

Polka Dot Leaves on a Tree 

1.Wipe a fresh green leaf clean, it must remain on the tree for this to work. 
2. Place a dark sticker or tape aluminum foil onto the leaf. If you use foil, cut it into fun shapes….maybe even spell out your name or make a neat pattern. 
3. Check your design weekly to see if a change has happened. Be careful pulling the stickers from the leaf, some will be too sticky and rip the leaf, so do a lot. 
4. Try this on many types of trees and leaves. Be sure to keep some on the trees until the Autumn color change. 
5. Press the leaf to preserve it. 

Slushy Science (This can also be used as your Nutrition Activity) 

Salt 
Food coloring 
Ziploc baggies 
Cups 
Fruit and/or vegetable juice 
 
 The night before you want to make a slushy, put half a cup of water and one teaspoon of salt into a plastic bag with a seal. Can add food coloring just to give it a fun look. Squeeze the air out of the bag and roll it into a shape that will fit inside your jar. Put the bag(s) in the freezer overnight. When the bags have frozen put them into a jar with a lid and add a cold liquid. Can use fruit and vegetable juice. Anything with sugar in it will work, but don't pour too much in. Use about 6 ounces of juice for each bag. Start shaking. After a few minutes, you'll see your juice becoming slushy. Pour it into a cup and enjoy!! 
The science part: The salt lowers the freezing point of the water in the bag, so the bag of ice stays colder longer than plain ice. This is what causes the liquid surrounding it to begin to freeze. 

Whirlygig 

String 
A scrap of heavy recycled cardboard 
Glue stick 
Scissors 
Kitchen skewer 
Pre-cut circles 
Markers 
 
Have children draw a design on 2 pre-cut circles using lots of colors. Glue one piece onto your recycled cardboard scrap, cut around it with the scissors, and then glue the second pattern onto the reverse. Teachers poke two small holes in the whirlygig with the kitchen skewer and thread the string through, tying in a knot once done.That’s all! Now just twirl and whirl.

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